This application is a continuation in part of U.S. application Ser. No. (S-86-002 CIP-2), which is a continuation-in-part of U.S. application Ser. No. 066,666, filed June 26, 1987, which is a continuation-in-part of U.S. application Ser. No. 246, filed Jan. 2, 1987, both applications filed in the name of Paul E. Ellis, Jr., James E. Lyons, and Harry K. Myers, Jr.
This invention relates to a process for the catalytic oxidation of butane to methylethylketone (MEK) with air or oxygen. The catalyst is a halogenated porphyrin complex of chromium.
MEK is a solvent widely used in the petroleum and chemical industries. It is now made from butene by hydration to sec-butyl alcohol followed by oxidation of the alcohol to MEK. A superior method of making MEK would be by the direct air oxidation of butane since the latter is also available in the petroleum industry, indeed it is in oversupply. However, this method has been extremely difficult to achieve and has never been practiced successfully on a commercial scale.
We have now discovered what we believe is the first example of a highly selective process for the air oxidation of butane to MEK. For the purpose of this application the term air also includes oxygen per se.